NEMCC's Dixson named MACJC pitcher and player of the week

BOONEVILLE – Northeast Mississippi Community College sophomore pitcher Erin Dixson of Amherst, New York has been named the Mississippi Association of Community/Junior Colleges (MACJC) Pitcher and Player of the Week.

Dixson helped lead the Lady Tigers to a 3-1 mark in Northeast’s annual TigerFest Tournament on Saturday, February 24 and Sunday, February 25 both offensively and defensively.

At the plate, Dixson earned the MACJC Player of the Week award when the Lady Tiger sophomore went 5-for-9 with a double, two home runs and also drove in four runs while scoring three and only struck out once the entire weekend.

“Erin has been working hard on the mound and offensively,” said Northeast softball coach Jody Long. “It’s a great honor to get the award for the first week that the MACJC offers it.”

Dixson picked up the MACJC Pitcher of the Week award as the Lady Tiger sophomore threw 13.2 innings allowing seven runs – just two earned – and struck out 13 against three walks in amassing a 2-0 record.

On the mound, Dixson was a force against the tenth-ranked team in the country – Muskegon (Mich.) – as the Amherst, New York native held the Lady Jayhawks in check all game.

Dixson only surrendered three hits to the Lady Jayhawks and struck out six while going the distance in the win against Muskegon.

However, Dixson also made an impact against the Lady Jayhawks at the plate. The New York native gave Northeast a lead it would not relinquish when Dixson connected on a Taylor Lemke offering and put the Lady Tigers up for good 3-2 with a one-out solo home run to left center in the bottom of the fourth.

“I am glad that I received an accomplishment like this. I have never done something like this before,” Dixson said. “My team beat the tenth-ranked team in nation. We really came together as a team and I am really proud of us for accomplishing that.”

Dixson, who saw action in all four of the Lady Tigers games over the weekend, became part of a pitching duel against Baton Rouge (La.) in the first day’s nightcap.

Dixson teamed with Bianca Chagolla to throw a four-hitter and strike out nine combined against the Lady Bears as Baton Rouge’s Haley Grantham threw a four-hitter herself and struck out 10 in the effort.

Against Lincoln Land (Ill.), Dixson helped the Lady Tigers to a five-run second inning as the Lady Tiger sophomore collected her third RBI of the tournament in the frame.

After Andrea Cutts got the ball rolling on the big inning for the Lady Tigers, Dixson chased home the Ackerman native with a double off the wall in right center an at bat later.

Dixson did it with her legs as well as the New York product scored from second on a ground ball to second that Becky Robinson legged out with two outs in the inning.

Dixson picked up her second win of the weekend when the Lady Tiger sophomore pitched six strong innings against Southwest Tennessee in the finale of the TigerFest Tournament.

In the win, Dixson limited the Lady Saluquis to just six hits – all singles – while striking out six in earning the win.

Dixson also set the stage for a comeback against the Lady Saluquis with a one-out, solo home run to dead center in the third inning and Haleigh Moffett and Ellen Tarrant provided two more runs that gave Northeast a 5-4 lead after both scored on Southwest Tennessee miscues in the inning.

Cutts added a pair of insurance runs when the Lady Tiger sophomore scored two with her triple to right and Dixson tacked on one more with her single to left center.

Dixson and the rest of the Lady Tigers return to action on Wednesday, February 27 as Northeast travels to Memphis, Tenn., to take on Southwest Tennessee in a scheduled doubleheader. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.